Power set flow meter



April 21, 1942. T. R. HARRISON 2,280,233 1 POWER SET FLOW METER Filed Aug. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I.

mom/flit. HARRISON BY A TTORNEY b c Q INVENTOR.

April 21, 1942. T. R. HARRISON 2,280,233

, POWER SET FLOW METER Filed Aug. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

THOMAS R; HARRISON I A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER SET FLOW METER Thomas R. Harrison, Wyncote, Pa., asslgnor to The Brown Instrument-Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 25, 1937, semi No. 160,742

13 Claims.

This inventionrelates to instrumentalities useml in the measuring and recording of variable conditions, and more particularly to mechanical relay instrumentalities for efl'ecting adjustments under control of an element deflecting in accordance with the fluctuations of a variable condition such as flow. a

In measuring the flow of a fluid, it is usual to employ, especially for transmitting at a dispen arm and the friction of the pen on the paper,

:and the weight of the parts is often excessive,

impairing the accuracy of the device. It may be 'noted that the armature must also overcome the force of gravity on the pen arm when a circular chart is used.

It is a specific object of my invention to overticularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and description in which I haveillustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a front view of the mechanism with parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of certain parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 1B is a view taken on' lines B-B of Fig. 1

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the connection between the meter of Fig. l and its actuating parts;

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the device of Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. 4 is a view partly in section of the clutch of Figs. 1 and 3 as seen from the left.

Although equally useful in connection with mechanical and other electrical types of flow metering systems, my invention is here illuscome the above noted objections by using the armature of an induction bridge to merely set a pointer and to use auxiliary power to move the final recording or control element in accordance with the setting of the pointer;

It is also an object of my invention to provide apower-set mechanism for actuating a recorder or control element in which the element is-deflected in equal increments of movement for equal increases in the magnitude of a condition such as flow under control of a member deflecting in accordance with the condition and notwithstand-' ing the non-linear movements of the latter with respect to the condition changes.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an integrator which will positively indicate and record the total flow during any desired interval of time. By incorporating such an integrator with the power-set mechanism referred to as a single unit, extreme accuracy is obtained and fewer moving parts are involved thereby minimizing inaccuracies and friction.

It is a particular object of my invention to make a recording and integrating meter that is simple and accurate in which a single unit is provided to both positively set the pen and actuate an integrator.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention ar pointed out with partrated as adapted for use in the Brown electric flow meter which is now in wide commercial use and which is disclosed in my prior Patent 1,743,852 granted January 14, 1930. In this system the difi'erential pressure across an orifice a inserted in the pipe line, of a fluid, the rate of flow of which is to be measured, is impressed upon the sealing liquid b of a U-tube manometer, the level of the liquid in either leg of the manometer forming a measure of fluid rate of flow. A float c in the liquid in one manometer leg rising and falling with the sealing liquid level carries an armature (1 adapted to cooperate with inductance coils e, f forming the transmitting element of a distant reading system. The distant reading system includes receiving coils 3, 3a electrically connected to the transmitting coils e, j and inductively related to a receiver armature 4 which, as more fully described in my previously mentioned prior patent, is thereby given movements corresponding to the movements imparted to the armature d by the manometer float.

In the modification of Fig. 1 the receiver coils 3, 3a are included in a recorder-integrator instrument of circular form provided with a casing I and a chart driving hub which is fixed to a shaft 2 and is rotated at a constant speed by a motor (not shown) making a full revolution in any desired period of time, such as once in twenty-four hours. An upper segment plate IA cooperates with a lower segment (not shown) to form a closure plate for the front of the instrument casing and to form a bearing plate for a chartwhich may be mounted on and rotated by the chart hub. The chart hub together with the recorder pens project through the closure plate and th mechanism now to be described is enclosed within the casing and in back of said plate. Armature 4 is connected by a link 5 to a lever 6, pivoted on stud 1. A member 5a which has a curved slot in its right end is attached to lever 6 for movement,

therewith and a link 8 is adjustably pivoted in this slot at one end, the other end of which is pivoted to a lever 9 which is in turn pivoted on shaft I0.

Lever 9 is made in the'form of a bell-crank having an arm 9a providedwith a transverse projection 9b parallel to and of the same width as projection Ila of lever II, to be described below. Also loose on shaft III are arms I2, I2a each one of which is attached to the end of a spiral spring I3, the latter tending to move the arms I 2, I211 toward each other and into engagement with the projections 9b and Ila which are thereby urged into alignment with each other by the action of the arms and the spring. This arrangement provides that lever shares all movement of lever 9 but is permitted relative-movement thereto when prevented from moving, as later described.

The shaft I is mounted for turning movement in the casing for rotation with a yoke I4 attached thereto which is formed with a pen arm I having a pen I6, adapted to indicate and/or record on a chart (not shown) the existing flow value. Also attached to shaft III for movement therewith is a quadrant or sector I! which has on one of its comers a projecting pin I8 whose purpose will be later described. The quadrant, yoke, and pen arm are biased by gravity in a clockwise direction. It will be seen from the above described connections that every movement of the armature4 will be accurately transmitted to the lever II. Through the mechanism later described this movement of lever II is used to control movement of the quadrant and accord ingly of the pen.

Joumalled in the casing is a cam shaft I9 driven from the same motor that drives shaft 2, but at a much faster rate, say once every six seconds. Fastened to shaft I9 is member 28 having at its outer endpin 28a which contacts the lower end of a bell-crank lever 30, the upper end of which has a bent over projection 30a adapted to contact with a surface I'Ia on quadrant I! to periodically prevent the quadrant and its associated yoke and pen arm from turning. Also fastened to shaft I9 is a cam or eccentric 2I serving to periodically raise roller 22 that is journalled on an integrating cam 23, pivoted on a shaft 24. Also pivoted on shaft 24 is a brake member 25, having a braking edge 25a arranged to engage an edge Nb of lever II. Brake member 25 is normally biased in a clockwise direction by its own weight and a small spring (not shown) and has a fairly tight fit on shaft 24 so that any movement of the member will tend to move the shaft, but rotation of the shaft is not able to move the member 25 since its fit on. shaft 24 is not tight enough to overcome the force of th spring and the weight of the member. Brake member 25 and cam 23 are provided with lower edges 25a and 23a respectively, which are arranged for respective contact with projections I Ib and IIc formed at the lower end of lever I I.

The brake member 25 has an arcuate slot 26 surrounding roller 22, the upper end of which I I' normally is adapted to be engaged at times by the roller. As cam 2| rotates, in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown, its surface comes into contact with roller 22 to lift integrating cam 23 from its contact with edge IIc on lever II. When, during this lifting movement, roller 22 reaches the top of slot 26, the brake member 25 is also lifted out of engagement with projection IIb, thus freeing lever II from any restraint. Lever II is therefore free to assume any position that is dictated by armature 4 through the above described connections. At the time the brake member is lifted enough to free edge MD the cam 2I has rotated approximately from the position shown in Fig. 1 and roller 22 is near the top of its stroke; continued rotation of cam 2I will therefore permit brake member 25 and integrating cam 23 to rotate in a clockwise direction under the influence of gravity until edge 25a strikes edge IIb and until the edge 23a strikes edge IIc, unless the latter engagement is prevented by prior engagement of integral arm 21 of cam 23 with the pin ll of quadrant II, the quadrant being at that time restrained from movement by lever 33.

From the above described operation it will be seen that the brake member 25 holds lever II in the position in which it is adjusted by armature 4 and holds it there until cam 23 has contacted with edge Ho. The relation of cam 2I and pin 28a is such that just as the high part of cam 2| reaches its lowermost position, pin 28a contacts surface I'Ia so that quadrant I1 is free to turn into engagement with arm 21, if not already so engaged, in which case both cam 23 and quadrant I! will be permitted to turn until cam 23 engages edge IIc. Contact between pin 23a and lever 30 is broken and the quadrant is again locked, in place just prior to the time that cam 2| again contacts roller 22. The pen arm I5 is thus periodically released to take a new position and is held in that position until projection 30a is again lifted in the next cycle.

The operation is as follows: Cam 2I raises integrating cam 23 and brake member 25 to free lever II so that the latter assumes a position in accordance with the then condition of flow and then subsequently permits re-engagement of integrating cam 23 and brake member 25 with projections I I0 and I Ib, respectively. If in its clockwise movement, arm- 21 of cam 23 contacts pin I8, the cam will be prevented from further turning until the cycle has progressed far enough for pin I8 to be released by the action of lever 30. When pin I8 is released the weight of the inte grating cam 23 and arm 21 will be sufficient to force quadrant I1 and its associated pen arm counter-clockwise until 'edge 23a contacts edge No. In this manner thepen arm is set in accordance with the setting of lever II which is in turn positioned in accordance with the value of the flow. If, however, edge 23a comes to rest on edge Ilc before arm 21 contacts pin I8 the pin, quadrant and pen arm when released will turn in a clockwise direction until arm 21 and pin I8 engage. Edge IIa is so shaped that when 30a is moved away from it the release will be .gradual and the quadrant will start moving slowly to prevent a sudden jerk in the pen arm which would couse ink to be thrown from the pen onto its surroundings.

The differential pressure and therefore, the movement of the float c in the manometer is a time the brake 25 starts to move.

function of the square of the flow so the movement of lever II is the same. This necessitates the use of a chart with a square root scale on it when the pen arm is directly connected with the movement of armature 4. Such a chart, while having some uses, is often objectionable because of the fact that the graduations for equal increments of flow are unequal. In order to overcome this objection, the edge 23a of the integrating cam 23 is so curved that it in effect extracts the square root of the reading given by arm H, and through arm 21 and pin l8 moves the pen arm equal distances for equal increments of flow, thus permitting the use of linear chart graduations.

The cam 23 is, as above explained, periodically raised to a fixed position once in each cycle of operation and thereafter is permitted to fall to a position determined by the then value of the flow, the variable travel of the cam being a measure of flow during that cycle. In order to integrate the successive excursions of cam 23, the latter is provided with counting mechanism including a clutch, here shown as a ball clutch. Rigidly attached to the integrating cam 23 is an outer section 29 of a one-way ball clutch, the inner section 3| of which is rigidly mounted on shaft 24. This inner section has the shape of a ratchet and mounted in between each pair of teeth is a ball 32. Upon counter-clockwise movement of the outer section 29 of the clutch, the balls 32 are cammed against the ratchet teeth of the inner section 3| and the inner section is thus rotated. Upon clockwise rotation of section 29 the inner section 3| does not rotate, since the balls are turned away from wedging engagement therewith and move back against the face of the next adjacent tooth. The friction on shaft 24 is suflicient to prevent it from rotating except by a positive force. Thus as the integrating cam 23 moves upwardly, or in a counter-clockwise direction,'the shaft 24 is rotated, the amount of rotation depending upon the lowest position assumed by integrating cam 23 when it contacted edge It on arm M.

It will be seen that at very low percentages of flow, that the oscillatory movement ofcam 23 will be small, but some movement thereof is necessary even at zero flow in order thatlever i may be freed to move to a new position. As cam 23 and brake 25 start their downward or clockwise movement, the shaft 24 and inner part 3| of the clutch are also moved until the brake 25 engages th edge llb of arm verse movement of the shaft 24 and clutch part 3| is due to the above mentioned tight fit of the brake member on the shaft. Therefore the counter-clockwise movement of part 3| after brake 25 starts to move is subtracted as the brake returns to its active position. The effective counter-clockwise or additive movement of clutch part 3| is therefore only that which it has between the time cam 23 starts to move and the Because of this arrangement the cam 23 may be lifted from the edge llc, to free the lever II, when the latter is in its zero position, without imparting a false movement to the shaft 24. This feature is of importance since it is a simple mechanism that provides accurate integration down to zero flow.

Also rigidly mounted on shaft 24 and back of the clutch-parts is a counting cam 33 having a rising edge terminating in a radial surface 34. Bearing on the circumference of the counting This recam 33 is one arm of bell-crank lever 35 which is pivoted at 33. This lever is normally biased in a clockwise direction by its own weight and that of link 31 attached thereto, although a spring may also be used to increase this biasing effect if desired. As the inner section of the clutch rotates it turns bell-crank 35 counter-clockwise until the arm of the bell-crank reaches radial surface 34. The bell-crank then moves clockwise under its own weight as above explained. The oscillatory movement of the bell-crank reciprocates a link 31 which is attached at its lower end to an ordinary form of counter 33 which is thereby actuated. The parts of the device are so proportioned that the movement of the integrating cam 23 when transmitted to the counter 38 will give an accurate integration of the flow of the measured fluid. For providing a chart record of the total or integrated amount of fluid measured during a given time, an arm 39 having pen 4| is provided. Arm 39 is fastened to shaft 42 to which is also fastened a lever 43. The other end of this lever bears on the surface of counting cam 33 so that as the cam rotates pen 4| is given a jog on the chart, one for each revolution of cam 33. The mark made bypen 4| will necessarily have to be a zig-zag one and counting the number of jogs on this line will give the total flow.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the same reference characters are used as were used in Fig. '1 for the same parts, although some of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 has been omitted for the sake of clearness.

In this modification, the lever H is moved in accordance with changes in flow in a manner fully described in connection with Fig. l, and the cam 2| rotates to periodically lift the integrating cam I23 and the brake 25 in a manner already disclosed.

Rigidly fastened to shaft M for movement therewith and with pen arm I5 is a curved lever ill that has on the opposite side of shaft [0 a brake surface la, cooperating with projection 30a on brake lever 30. 'The lever Ill and pen arm I5 are biased in a clockwise direction by the action of gravity. This clockwise motion of the lever H1 is stopped by and in accordance with the position of pin 8 on the outer end of arm |2l formed integral with and on the upper surface of cam I23. This cam, as well as brake member 25, is pivoted for movement around shaft 24 and the cam has attached to it the outer section 23 of a ball clutch, the inner section 3| of which is attached to shaft 24 to actuate a counte in a manner shown in Fig. l.

Surface |23a of cam I23 may be formed to have any desired configuration as long as it will cause the position of cam |23 to be a direct measurement of the position of lever when edge |23a is in contact with edge I IS on the lower end of lever H. This is desired so that as com I23 moves to different positions it moves pin ||8 into positions that are in direct proportion to the position of lever II. In order to use a chart that has equal spacings for equal increments of flow, the edge I30 of lever III is so shaped that it, in effect extracts the square root of the reading given by lever I in the same manner edge 23a of lever 23 does in the modification shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of this modification is similar to that of Fig. 1. As cam 2| rotates, it lifts cam I23 and through the slot 23 and roller 22 lifts brake 25 to free lever H which thereupon assumes a pin i118 and edge i"5,

. accuses position in accordance with the then value ol invention may sometimes be used to advantage the flow. Continued rotation of cam will first without a corresponding use of other features. let edge 25c contact edge ill; to loci: lever ii in Having now described my invention, what i place, d than ermit edge il23o to contact the claim as new and desire to secure by Letters edge lib. Immediately following this, pin contacts lever to move projection 30o ire brake surface ills, thus and lever ill move cloc' until edge 638 contacts pin M8 to it, however, on downworstroke,

set the pen. iiflcon iili,

then cam iBS will releases lever 0 ii. the weight of ca re direction er com ectecl ports in a cone edges i23o ill come into contact, thus setting the the use of very steep slope on the brake surface i lilo the slow release of the brake will go vent only seicl and cause the member it? to move slowly in a cloclzwhen they a e hot being ed y d P wise direction to the position it is to assume and tion.

thereby prevent sudden movement of the pen in c measu pp ra us, a member de- Which would t g throw my; frgm it t it fiectable in accordance with a variable condition. Surroundings, a shaped cam having a projection thereon In mgmmeter t mgvemeni; of th f t, oscillated about an axis into a position governed such as d, is very small for low percentages of y Said member, an element to be p oned in how, particularly in the region of iii% of full fiordcnce with the position of said cam, a scale and less. This in turn causes a very small pivoted arm movable with said element, means movement of lever M which necessitates a rather 30 separate from said cam for alternately clamping steep curve at the lower end of edge 2311. This d releasing said a m, said p t n engagin curve at times has to be formed so steep that said arm to move said arm around its pivot in there is danger of it coming lever i! to the accordance with the governed position of said right (Fig. 1) when edges 23c. and lie contact a a d th r y p sit s n said and thereby cause both an incorrect setting of 35 projection moving the arm when the arm is unthe pen and an incorrect integration of the total clamped.

flow. In the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, this i 3. I a fl t a p n a m, a p ti n error maybe magnified by virtue of the relatively movable with said pen arm, a pivoted member large ratio of the movement of the pen to the positioned by the instantaneous flow of the fluid movement of the cam. This condition can be bein measured. a cam hav a s ape ed e overcome by the construction of Fig. 3 in which and having an arm integral therewith, an eccenthe steepness of edge l23a for low flow readings tric for periodically moving said cam about an is not so great as the steepness of edge 23a. This axis laterally displaced from the pivot of said redesigning of edge I230 is possible since it only member from a first position determined by said has the function of recording the readings of eccentric to a second position determined by the lever l I, because the extraction of th square contact between the shaped edge of said cam and root of the readings to permit use of an evenly member, said arm on the cam determining the divided chart is done by edge I30 bearing on pen position of said pen arm by contact between said g cam arm and said projection when the cam is in It is thus seen that due to the frequent its second position. measurements taken by integrating cams 23 and In a fi W me e 21 member Positioned in I23, and the positive manner that these measureaccordance with the instantaneous value of the ments are transmitted to the counter, that the condition being measured, a pivoted cam for integrating is substantially continuous and is acperiodically contacting said member, an eccencurate within extremely narrow limits. The r tric for moving said cam to a first po Said relative simplicity of the mechanism, and the cam moving by gravity to a second position conarrangement of the parts such that lost motion trolled by said member, a pivoted pen arm, an and clearances are eliminated or are prevented element mounted for movement therewith, said from introducing errors, permit easy manufacarm and element being biased for normal moveturing of my vi a d t ib t t it long ment in one direction, a lever arm integral with life in practice with a minimum of maintenance. Said cam for moving s d eme t and p a It will also be seen t t, the pen is positively in the opposite direction, the connections being set by auxiliary power, thus relieving the such that when the eccentric moves the cam and ductance bridge relay from the necessity of movlever arm to the first Posmon the Pen arm and element can move in said one direction by their bias and when the cam and lever arm move to the second position the pen arm and element are thereby moved in said opposite direction.

5. In a fiow meter, a pen arm, a counter, a

7 member positioned in accordance with a condition to be measured, a cam moving between a ing anything but one light lever thereby increasing the accuracy of its settings.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that Changes "l y be ade in the form o e 84 first predetermined position and a second posiparatus disclosed without departing from the u determined by Said member, means for Spirit Of y invention as Set fOIth 1n the D- actuating said counter from said cam as it moves pended claims. and that certain features of my from said second to said first position, and means for moving said pen arm from said cam as it moves from said first to said second position.

6. In aflow meter, a member movablein accordance with a condition to be measured. a cam movable to a position limited by contact with said member, a lever arm integral with said cam and a projection on said lever arm, a pen arm, a curved lever arm mounted for movement there? with, said pen arm and curved lever aim being biased in a given direction, movement in said means for releasing said brakewhereby said pen arm and element may move under their bias, said brake surface being so shaped that as the brake releases and the element moves according to its bias the brake surface will move toward the brake whereby movement of the element will initially be slow. 8. In a flow meter, a member positioned in acdirection, means contacting said brake surface for preventing movement of said arm and element under their bias, means for releasing said contacting means, said brake surface being so 'shaped'that when the contacting means releases the brake surface its initial movement will be slow.

11. In a meter, an adjustable lever, a cam with an arm thereon, an eccentric for moving said cam and arm to a first position, gravity moving said cam and arm to a second position determined by contact between said cam and said lever, an element biased for movement in one direction and adapted to be moved by said arm in cordance with a function of a condition to be measured, a cam for contacting said member, an eccentric for moving said cam to a first position, said cam moving by gravity to a second position limited by contact with said member, the surface of said cam being so shaped that it extractsa root of said function, a pen arm, an element mounted for. movement therewith, means for moving said pen arm and. element from said cam whereby movement of said pen arm represents the extracted root of the function represented by said member.

9. In a flow meter a member positioned in accordance with a function of a condition to be measured, a cam for contacting said member,the

. the opposite direction as said arm moves toward its second position, a brake for said element to 'prevent said element and arm from moving in either direction, means forreleasing said brake whereby said arm and cam can move to said second position and thereby move said element in said opposite direction, a counter, and means to actuate the counter as the element movin means moves from the second to the first position.

12. In a measuring instrument, the combination with a pivoted arm, a member having a brake surface thereon and a projection extending therefrom moving with said arm, a brake member engaging said brake surface, an element movable to a position proportional to the value of a measurable condition, an oscillatable cam member having a shaped edge, said cam being I cam adapted to engage said projection to thereby move said arm and member to a position corresponding to that of said element, and means to contacting surface of the cam being so shaped 7 that the cam is positioned in accordance with said function, a movable pen arm, a curved lever movable therewith, means for moving said curved remove said brake from said brake surface to permit said member to be moved by said cam arm.

13. In a measuring instrument, a recording arm, a counter, an element movable to a position proportional to the value of a measurable condition, an oscillatable cam having a shaped edge adapted to engage'said element, means to move said cam from a predetermined position to a position limited by its engagement with said ele-. ment, an arm on said cam, means movable with said recording arm adapted to be engaged by the arm on said cam as the latter moves to move the recording arm, a clutch operated in one direction only by said cam as the latter oscillates, and means to actuate said counter from said clutch.

THOMAS R. HARRISON. 

